People who buy diamonds are brainwashed dummies
 

People who pay exhorbitant prices for a worthless piece of crystallized carbon have been brainwashed by endless ad campaigns and subliminal movie outtakes.

When did we let sneaky slogans such as "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" or "Diamonds are forever" get the better of our intelligence and wallet?

For feck's sake, these "precious stones" are mined by poor and exploited Africans in muddy waters and pass through so many hands (with every person making a generous sum of money), that when it finds its way to the retail consumer, an useless piece of rock is fetching thousands of dollars per carat.

Listen boys, wake up and don't buy diamonds. It's the world's largest scam.

I love my rocks and I apologize to no one for it! And I would love to know of ANY product that that is not marked up AND where the workers involved in every aspect of its production are paid what they are worth.

if people are willing to pay a lot of money for diamonds then maybe its not a worthless peice of crystallized carbon. even in a geology class they teach that its a valuable mineral. and not every diamond comes from exploited miners, i saw a peice about this on the news a few months ago, and actually a lot of the jewelers try to make sure the diamonds they sell are "clean". I think it would be interesting to hear what Hootie has to say about this since she works at a jewelery store.

Okaaaaaaay, thank you Contact! :rolleyes:

Sorry but I will continue to sport my 3 1/2 carats of rocks regardless of how valuable YOU think they are (or are not). Why?

Because I don't care what you think.

:)


KillarneyRose, we agree again!

*breaking out my Hell-has-frozen-over-yet-again Prada mittens* ;) :D

The largest dealer of diamonds in the world is DeBeers which is not permitted to do business in the USA because the company violates cartel laws. Also, some of the diamond trade has been financing wars in Angola, Sierra Leone and Democratic Republic of Congo. This is a bit dated, but here is a news article addressing this issue .

i dunno abot dimondds, but dacqurris is coool, especiallly whne you haave secondsf!

Been drinking?

Generally it's not the rock, it's the symbolism.

If diamonds are a woman's best friend, cubic zirconium must be a man's.

C'mon now...why did another one of my posts get deleted?

cuzzz yyoou are an aSSSSSSSSSSSSholllee! Bawahahahahhha

You know you're wrong for that. But CTFU.
:p

As someone who has worked in the diamond retail business for over three years, I assure you it isn't just DIAMONDS that are "exploiting" whomever you think.

Did you know that Afghanistan is the world's leading producer of SAPPHIRES? Another famous and widely popular stone! Did you also know that Diamonds are not just found in the areas you mentioned, but also in new mines in Canada (see Hearts on Fire website). One cannot simply verify where a diamond comes from and whether or not it is "conflict free" unless you are buying directly from the miners or someone in contact with them.

Diamonds have been sported for centuries by royalty and emperors. It is a sign of love, of power, and infidelity.

Diamonds are also used in drilling bits...what else is stronger than a diamond? A diamond is a 10 on the Moeh's Hardness Scale. So if you want to BOYCOTT diamonds, you'd best put down that drill you're using...or never use something that was assembled by a drill because I assure you diamonds are in those drill bits to cut whatever it is they need to.

Give me a break okay? :rolleyes:

Actually, ktsnake, they do make diamonds that are the exact same as a natural diamond only they are produced in a lab...these fakes cost a little more than your run-of-the-mill glass or plastic variety, but it's a fraction of the cost of a natural diamond AND your girl would never suspect it wasn't dug out of the ground. Of course, if you REALLLLY loved her, you'd get her the "real" thing... :p

kontact youre wierd!!!

I don't care what *anyone* else says, diamonds are not only my best friend :D, but they're also my birthstone! Therefore I'm entitled to love them!!! I am addicted to diamonds, I only have 3 pairs of earrings now but someday I will hopefully have other things! ;)

True, true.

We call this "owange."

I believe that it's true that in terms of rarity, coloured gemstones are actually more valuable than diamonds. However, because there is more of a demand for diamonds, their price is higher. I am also a fan of coloured gemstones, but all the jewelry I own is set with said coloured stones and-- you guessed it-- diamonds. My birthstone is the ruby, and I love it. I'm also a big fan of the sapphire-- Kappa's gemstone-- and I adore opals.

Oh, and yes, diamond is just a bunch of crystallized carbon.

But oil is just a bunch of smushed organic matter.

So there! :p

i personally own a 2.5 carat diamond ring that has been in my family FOREVER and i'm very proud of it.. i hardly ever wear it though cuz its HUGE and i'm scared i will lose it. :)

I love me some Diamonds!!!!!
 

KappaKittyCat go on, you're on a roll!!! :)

But yes I do love the diamond!!!! Even though I do not have many, and am expecting some for christmas, I LOVE THEM!!! They are just so beautiful...come on admit it. I have never heard of someone not liking diamonds...:rolleyes: I mean whats wrong with you???? I understand your argument of "some" of the people who mine them get exploited, but notice the emphasis on SOME...you cannot sit there and lie to yourself and us and say that everyone who mines diamonds is exploited...I've studied this in school and yes some poor kids in Africa do get exploited and hurt doing this but where is it any different for ohter products...So we should go around barefooted because some people who make shoes are exploited?? Or should we go naked because some people who make clothes get exploited??? Get real!!!

Ronnie

You know . . . if you could make it the right size and quality . . . flaws included . . . is there any way to tell the two apart at all?

I can see some confidence problems in the diamond industry if I could make endless diamonds that couldn't be told from real ones :)

Diamonds are kind of garment neutral too aren't they?

I mean you can wear them with anything . . any color dress, outfit, bath towel, nothing, and you don't have to worry about clashing.

Isn't that the major advantage ladies? Aren't you indeed saving your man money by asking for diamonds?

Otherwise wouldn't he be obliged to buy you various sizes and styles of saphires, rubies, emeralds, and pearls to go with many outfits?

It is so much simpler to buy you a really nice universal diamond set. Good for all occasions.

I am a practical soul so I am with the girls on this one LOL :D.

So tell your boys the favor they are doing themselves ;).

James: "So tell your boys the favor they are doing themselves "
Very well put...good point ;)

No way. Why the hell would I want to spend all that money on someone else besides me?

If a girl is hot, she can do it without the diamonds, but if you're ugly as hell (like alot of the girls here) diamonds won't help.

Sorry.

You're still a virgin aren't you?

But anyway, James, you are correct..I'm printing out your reply and presenting it to my boyfriend along w/a jewlery catalog, teehee :)

Yah I am :(

You prolly ugly, right?

hahahahahaha!! james, too funny :) i like that, and i'll have to quote it if i ever end up in a diamond requesting relationship again ;)

She could just think it was the real thing and I could buy her a bigger fake diamond.

I read a great editorial in a 1950's etiquette book years ago. The basic premise was that you should not feel you "have" to have a diamond as your engagement ring just because of social convention. If you're not feelin' it, get a pearl, opal or sapphire engagement ring, or maybe not a ring at all. Be true to yourself, not what the diamond/bridal industry tells you.

However, if you love diamonds, go for it. :)

This is a weird thread.

I want a giant diamond on my ivory cain. Hell, I want to shoot the elephant for the ivory and get that diamond right on there shortly after. I have no shame, because a giant diamond on an ivory cain gets you noticed.

-Rudey
--Oh and it doubles as a stupid stick to hit ya if you say anything stupid.

I believe the women just totally missed the point of this post. I believe what the poster is trying to say is that you have been conditioned to think that diamonds make you prettier and give you a greater self worth. Thats a pretty dangerous train of thought. Can't say that it is restricted to women though, guys have to have there expensive cars. Just once I want to see someone who is able to afford the "finer things" in life hold back and not do it just because they can and everyone else is doing it. Like when your watching MTV Cribs and you know that every rapper is going to have an Escalade and a Benz SL600. I guess it all comes down to what you value most in your life. And its worth evaluating......

question
 

For the person that works at the diamond place, can you give us a little info on the pink diamond?(the on J.Lo has) I don't like her but that ring is ON POINT! why are they so rare? I thought the clear ones were the rarest.


QTE

ROFLMAO!!! Rudey, you just made my day!

And I believe what the replyees are trying to say is that Contact's statement to that effect is a load of doo-doo.

Giving a diamond engagment ring is a wonderful tradition that goes back ages. It represents a pledge between two people to be married. The fact that the engagement ring is diamond and not wood or pebble stone is reflective of the specialness of the relationship and committment.

You could argue that almost any tradition is conditioning. So what! I prefer diamonds, others may want two camels and a goat. All I know is that where I come from a diamond ring is the preferred choice, it has been, and will probably remain such for some time to come.

No, I think that the title of the thread really sucks. Because I appreciate diamonds, I am a brainwashed dummy? Doubt it.

Oh, but I guarentee she would find out ktsnake. women always figure things like that out.